The Irish standard., 1887-08-20
THE TESTIMONY OF A FOE
The Historian Lecky OIL Irelands
Prospects Under Ke1 Own
Parliament.
|, HOME RULE OPPONENT OFFERS
Many Convincing Figures Respecting Adj
7antages Which His Native Country
Enjoyed Under Self Rule.

Quoted verbatim from William Hart
pole Lecky's work on the history of the
United Kingdom in the eighteenth
century, just published: AS early as 1853
the necessity for increased intercourse
with England was recognized by the es-
taolishment Of three additional packet
boats between Holyhead and Dublin,
thus securing six weekly mails between
England and Ireland. Travellers who
visited Dublin towards 1850 remarked
that q penny post had recently been es-
tablished in the city; that new houses
and public buildings were everywhere
arising; that more THAI twenty stage
coaches connected the metropolis with
distant parts OF Ireland. THE roads. ,"
said one traveller, ''are almost jnvaria-
bly, excellent. The inns are furnished
with every accommodation that tray
elIer not too fastidious can re-
auire. Travelling is perfectly
secure. 81 Footpads, rob-
berries and highwaymen are sell
dom heard Of, except in the
vicinity of Dublin The spIendor Of
the capital was indeed out OF all pro-
portion to wealth of the country; but it
at The same time indicated clearly an
increasing industrial activity. The
old custom house became so inadequate
for the business which passed through
it, that in 1881 the foundation was laid
OF a new custom house OF great s.rchi-
tectual beauty, which WAS opened tea
years later. In 1882, under the admin
istration Of Lord Carlisle, a national
bank with a capital Of one million and
a half was establish d in Dublin. A
general post office, the Irish Academy,
a college Of physicians and q acollege of
surgeons speedily followed, aud men Of
ali parties and opinions recognized the
rapid strides of national prosperity.
Arthur Young, indeed, as early as TITS,
maintained, in opposition to the best
lri>n opinion, thaS the country was
even then in progressive state, and
had been steadily improving since The
peace Of Aix-la Chapelle in 1913; but
after the concession Of free trade the
signs Of advance were far more certain
and unequiyoca. In 1885, Lord Sheffield
in his Well~known treatise Oh Irish
trade. asserted that ''pel haps the i'm
proyement of Ireland is as rapid as any
country ey. i experienced, and that
the kirgdt 10 in general is in the most
prosperous state" In the debates on
Ordes propositions, Ireland was con-
stantly, though no doubt very untruly,
represented in England as likely to be-
come a most serious commercial rival.
In 1896, Sir John Parnejl, the chancel-
lor OF The excEeluer, stated i'll Parlia~
ment that lit was his pride and his
happiness to declare that he did not
think it possible for any nation to have
improved more in her circumstances
since 1854 t than Ireland has
done: frono that time the debt of the
nation has decreased te96, 900. and the
interest ON the debt still remaining had
decreased SIT 900 per annum, which
was precisely the same thing at 4 per
cent. as if the principal had been re-
duced G424,OOO more. Add to this the
great increase OF trade, our exports
alone having increased $500 900 last year
beyond the former period; aud he be-
]ieyed it would he difficult in the history
OF the world to show a nation rising
faster in prosperity In 1898, Crumpe
published that remarkable "Essay on
the Best Means of Providing Employ
ment for the People," which is one Of
the most faithful, and at same time un-
hattering, pictures OF the social and in.
dustrial condition Of Ireland. But
while tracing with IN unsparing hand
the great industrial failings of the peo-
pie. he adds that 1.-THE defects which
have been noticed are daily diminish
ing. The middling ranks are becoming
more attentive to their debts and less
indulgent to their extravaganza. a
spirit of industry is infusing its regen-
Grating vigor among them; the vain and
ridiculous aversion to the pursuits of
commerce or other Industrious occupa-
tions is wearing out, and the encour-
agement Of agriculture more generally
attended to. The lower classes are be-
coming more industrious, more
wealthy, more independent. The sit
uation of the peasant has since the
final paclication of the kingdom. but
more especially since the settlement of
its constitution in 1882, been daily i'm
proving II am bold to say" said
Lord Clare, speaking OF the preceding
twenty years, in the remarkable speech
which he delivered and published IN
1898, there is not a nation on the habi
table globe which has advanced in Gull
tivation and commerce, in agriculture